It's a skyline most Torontonians would recognize: rows and rows of soaring buildings that include the iconic CN Tower. But you may need binoculars to see it.
For the past two years, Jean-Louis Brenninkmeijer has been working on a 1 to 87 scale model of Canada's biggest city. He says part of the reason he was inspired to create a tiny version of Toronto was to educate tourists and natives about the bustling metropolis.
"To give the public, kids, parents, tourists a way of learning something about the country that you otherwise would not learn," Brenninkmeijer told CTV Toronto Wednesday.
Dubbed the "Our Home and Miniature Land" project, the miniature scale also includes a tiny St. Lawrence Market, Union Station, and the Rogers Centre complete with a fully functioning jumbotrone.
Brenninkmeijer has so far invested approximately $2 million of his own money on the project. He's also enlisted the help of builder Dave Maclean, who says the model contains a number of details that likely make it recognizable to most locals.
"You've got the typical townhouses that you find in Toronto – those give a characature of the city and you have signature structures," he said.
Both Maclean and Breeninkmeijer continue to work on the miniature model. They hope to have it complete by 2017.
The pair is also working to create models of other Canadian cities, including Hamilton, Niagara and Ottawa. They say their long-term goal is to recreate the entire country – from Vancouver all the way to Halifax.
With a report from CTV Toronto's Scott Lightfoot
